I have pledged to boycott shopping on the holiday in support of exploited workers, but I would never be able to write about it as my friend has. Please read this thoughtful piece written from a place of experience and love for the retail industry before deciding whether or not to shop tomorrow.

“I’m going to catch a lot of hell for this, and according to one peer, should not be participating in this conversation because of the position I hold in my field (which will no further be discussed). I happen to be a person who has seen the inside of retail, lived many holidays through retail (survived them), and I’m going to dispel a few myths for you.

We don’t live in the same world we did 15 years ago, or ten, or even five. I started in retail about 10 years ago. My first “big retail holiday season” was an eye opener. As “the new guy,” I was the poor soul forced to watch the District Sales Manager’s dog while she went on a ski trip to forget about her recent divorce. I saw that dog destroy every Lego set her son had built for a year, then followed for three days watching for Legos in the poop! When she got back, after having left me with access to her home, car, everything, she went to write me a check. She looked up, and said, “What’s your name?” My first $25 earned from a “middle manager.” These types of requests, with minimal pay off, except working your way into someone higher up’s good graces were not uncommon then. House sitting, and pet sitting are a very common sidebar in retail, and generally pay better than $7/day.

Even back then, we were not open on holidays, nor did we expect to be. I have since learned (very recently) that most leases for larger corporations, within shopping centers specifically state that you’re not required to open on holidays, and will not be penalized for remaining closed. With this in mind, shopping centers will frequently deliver notices to stores stating “required holiday hours, per your lease agreement.” If someone at the field level inquires about these specifics, no information can be shared. The information is only available to corporate offices, and more specifically the real estate and legal departments. So a lot of stores, and even field management assume they must open for extended hours, to avoid racking up threatened fines, and facing “the wrath” of their employer. These shopping centers can then inflate their traffic numbers to share with companies during the renegotiation of leases. I.E.: Business is booming, look at how many footsteps we had on Thanksgiving, when you assumed people would stay home with their families. Do you want to miss out on all that potential business?!

So, the stores open, most lose money just paying hourly wages & the cost of electricity.

Which brings us to pay. There seem to be a lot of people taking about all of the “holiday pay” people will be making for working these new holiday hours. Who are they? And where do they work? Since the economy took a downward turn @2008, most retailers have eliminated full time sales positions, and scaled back full time management positions, primarily to avoid paying benefits such as insurance, vacation, and guess what else: HOLIDAY PAY! It is assumed that Holiday Pay just happens, because the “average American,” working their 9-5, Monday through Friday, gets an extra day off, with pay during a holiday week. Well, in retail there are two extra days, and approximately 40 more operating hours (and pushing upwards of 60 more hours during “peak season”) for a retail employee to make up that time. If you are fortunate enough to land one of the scarce full time positions, you probably do get paid for 8 hours of Holiday Pay, and are sometimes given the option of only working 4 days…….UNLESS……..”the needs of the business require otherwise.” And they almost always require otherwise, because of all those extra operating hours, and the lack of full time people to cover the necessary shifts. So, technically full time employees work 40 hours, and get paid for 48, no overtime, no time and a half for working the actual holiday. 8 additional hours at your regular rate of pay.

Then I hear of companies who are providing “a holiday meal” for employees who work these holiday shifts. I wonder where they hide that restaurant capacity, commercial grade kitchen in a department store. And while I’m picturing it, which of those employees is being paid “holiday pay” to compensate for their amazing culinary skills, and ability to prepare these meals. Guess what, every fast food company is peddling their Black Friday specials to every retail manager in a ten mile radius, trying to convince them to spend the sad, sad stipend which companies will have a manager pay out of a cash register, at their “fine establishment” (and generally for a delivery fee comparable to the total amount allotted to feed the staff). Last year I ordered a bagel box from a very well known “bakery” chain. It totaled @$14 with tax. “Would you like that delivered.” Me: Sure! How much is the delivery fee. $15. Mind you, this storefront is approximately 200 yards from the delivery location. Everyone is working an angle.

So, as for the Holiday Dinner provided, do you remember when you had a special event in elementary school, or got rewarded for doing something you didn’t have a choice to opt out of anyway? That’s right boys and girls: ITS PIZZA PARTY TIME! This becomes more interesting when you explain it to a group over the 65-70 year range (did you know that Pizza Parties haven’t always been a substitute for the holidays our forefathers created? SCHOCKING!) And it becomes more difficult to organize a pizza party these days, why do you think schools don’t do it anymore? Have you ever tried to order a pizza with half gluten free crust, and come up with at least three vegetarian options that don’t include pineapple, or a specific type of olive?! Nearly impossible for the “average” Pizza Hut customer.

So, bring an apple, or something to snack on.

Now to the consumer side, and part of this is a revelation I just made this year……because no one is writing books on this (until this post).

I read one article bragging about how KMart has been opening on Thanksgiving for 20 years, or so. Is this the same retail chain that had all those financial problems brought on by years of mismanagement, who had to be bought out by Sears, who no one was shopping anymore anyway? Couldn’t be! SHOCKER: they’ll continue to open earlier and earlier, while their employees enjoy that pretty picture of the Pizza Party we viewed earlier, on a 15 minute break…….UNLESS……..”the needs of the business require otherwise.” So don’t be cruel to the KMart employee with pizza stuck in their teeth, they still haven’t had a chance to use the restroom after all the coffe, or energy drinks they consumed to get moving that early in the day, so they couldn’t have had time to check their teeth in the mirror.

We’re going to kick it up one level and take a look at what I must clarify is strictly, my personal, outsider opinion, of an American Tradition, Macy’s. This is the part that just occurred to me this year. For decades people (marketing directors/ Mad Men style Ad Men) have assumed that the staunch family values of the stereotypical Midwesterner, would leave them with no desire to leave their families on a holiday to “save a buck,” (which, by the way, you’re not…..unless you’re waiting for that one magic television, or gaming console, a majority of retailers have already started the sales they’ll push Thursday-Saturday…..they actually started last week, too bad nobody put that in the newspaper). But with a dwindling middle class, and a lower class struggling to make ends meet outside of holidays, these ad wizards have figured it out. They’re onto you.

These guys are nobody’s fools. Have you never seen a Thanksgiving Day Parade?! Or a little movie about Margaret, and the miracle which just happened to occur near one of the most famous retail addresses in the history of retail AND popular culture? If you haven’t seen Miracle on 34th Street, then you don’t know anything about product placement. Or the ability of a major corporation to guilt you into buying their wares, whatever they may be.

The Midwest and Bible Belt is full of believers, and those who want to be believers (this is NOT a religious statement). Simply put, we want to believe in the good. Root for the underdog (that’s why, I presume the Royals survived in Kansas City for so long, regardless of how miserable it was, but I digress) We want to see the good guy win the girl, and know that the nice guy doesn’t always finish last.

Well, in that well known holiday classic, little Margaret is a non-believer……that doesn’t really work for Macy’s. They need Margaret to believe. Believe in Christmas. Believe in Santa. Believe in the Holiday Spirit. And believe in Macy’s. And in the end, when Margaret truly believes, who wins? Everyone is happy, and Christmas is saved, and ALL of those Manhattan residents are FLOCKING to Macy’s!

It’s a public relations wet dream!

What do we see in retail right now? Bargain stores & big box retailers appealing to the “average american,” which recent study shows falls into a lower income bracket, either lower-middle class, or lower class America. Retailers are telling you how much you’ll save, and how much more your families will get for your holiday dollar if you come to their store on Thanksgiving Day.

You don’t see this at the opposite end of the spectrum. Has anyone seen any hot deals at Nordstrom, Sak’s, or NiemanMarcus? No, probably not. Their customers will still spend millions with them this holiday season, and you won’t hear any stories about fisticuffs, or weapons being drawn over furbies at these stores either (unless somebody asks for a new cookie recipe, and we all know how that turned out anyway).

So, it’s too late for me to not come off as jaded, or Scrooge-ish, or just a plain ass, but my intent is quite the opposite. As much as I may bitch about my family, and all the stupid stuff they do year round, I look forward to spending the holidays with my parents, siblings, even their kids. And I don’t want to see my friends, and the rest of the free world to lose sight of that.

So don’t do it Margarets! Don’t BELIEVE this time. You’re not going to come out on top. The retailers will! It’s just like Vegas, the house always wins (TRUST ME on this one) they wouldn’t have stuck around so long if they weren’t!

Keep your holiday time for your families, it will mean much more to you in the future, and shopping on Thanksgiving (combined with the way all of us American eat anyway) will only put you that much closer to a stroke/heart attack/need for blood pressure medication.

And no offense to any of the retailers mentioned. I honestly think their marketing departments need an extra raise for pulling all of this off. After all, they deserve a shot at making it that much closer to the ever popular “one percent” so they can do their shopping with a personal shopper at Nieman’s without the rest of the country in their way, right?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all the Margaret’s, big, and small, all across the country!”

by Craig Brown

Enjoy your holiday, however you choose to spend it.

]]>http://threeblindwives.com/2013/11/27/black-thursday-a-few-myths-dispelled-by-an-insider/feed/040.240119 -76.92064840.240119-76.920648threeblindwivesthanksgiving pledgeBlog SiggyCloth Diapers DIYhttp://threeblindwives.com/2013/04/15/cloth-diapers-diy/
http://threeblindwives.com/2013/04/15/cloth-diapers-diy/#commentsMon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:47 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=7082]]>As I’ve been contemplating this new baby thing I’ve got happening in the fall, I’ve been prioritizing baby needs. First: baby carriers. I have a ring sling, a Moby Wrap, a pouch sling, and an Ergo. That should get us started. Next up: diapers.

I’ve cloth diapered my last 3 kids. Xander reacted to every disposable diaper out there. It was prefolds, pins, and plastic covers. But did you know there is this whole internet niche market for cloth diaperers? And it existed 10 years ago when I was pregnant with Eli? I discovered that I had OPTIONS. Magical options that have multiplied in the last decade.

Just as the options have multiplied, so have the DIY cloth diapering tutorials. I’m not going to do a full tutorial because there are so many out there, and I would be recreating the work rather than adding much newness to it. My two favorite cloth diapering tutorials are:

Simple fitted contour diaper

Click for the tute.

and

RRP diapers

Click for the tute

I relied heavily on the first one. I played with the pattern but, honestly, she’s got it down. Just follow her instructions. I did skip adding snaps (since these will lie in a cover though I will make some with velcro), and I used all materials I had on hand. Items needed:

Elastic. This is for the legs and, if you want, for the back as well. Because these will be washed and dried and washed and dried and washed and dried, I highly recommend buying specific swimsuit elastic. I use 3/8″.

Absorbent center. This can be any absorbent fabric. You can use old prefolds, old layered towels, old doublers and diaper inserts that have seen better days.

An inside fabric. You want to use something that will draw the moisture away. A lot of people use minky or diaper flannel or microfleece. Me? I used old 100% cotton tshirts.

An outer fabric. You can make these diapers cover-less if you use good quality fleece (like Malden Mills) or PUL on the outside. I used scrap fabric I had and old tshirts.

Closures. You can use velcro (again, buy the good stuff) or snaps. However, you can also make the back “wings” longer and pin them in the middle like the RRP diaper. Or you can keep them shorter and use two pins. Or, if you don’t use flannel on the outside, you can use a Snappi. Or you can just lay it in a wrap style cover and not use a special fastener. Options, options, options.

And now that I have enough newborn diapers — I have more than the 5 pictured — I’m moving on to mediums. This is my kind of nesting.

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http://threeblindwives.com/2013/04/15/cloth-diapers-diy/feed/0charlieinkcphoto-1Charlie's siggyEat More Chocolatehttp://threeblindwives.com/2013/01/18/eat-more-chocolate/
http://threeblindwives.com/2013/01/18/eat-more-chocolate/#commentsFri, 18 Jan 2013 06:00:41 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=6783]]>I realized today that in the midst of all this moving craziness, I never sat down to think about my resolutions for the new year. I am a big fan of resolutions. They used to depress me, and like most people, I’d give up on them within a month. I think the problem was that I was too focused on the negative, e.g. “lose weight,” “eat healthy,” etc.. Starting last year, I decided that rather than focus on the things I want to change about myself, I would focus on the things I want to enhance.

I’ve read that most resolutions last about 2 weeks. This could also be called the “January 14th Special.”

My 2012 Resolutions:

1. Start a blog
2. Make more art
3. Eat more quality chocolate

I will tell you my friends, I kept true to those resolutions all year. I started Three Blind Wives in February. In fact, I think it was when I announced my resolutions on facebook that Lindsay first suggested we start a blog together. See, you gotta put stuff out there.

I did indeed eat more quality chocolate, which I thought would be more profound. The idea is that while chocolate is good, good chocolate is better. I’d like to think that in eating more quality chocolate, I ate less of the cheap stuff. Yeah, it didn’t work out that way. I just ate a crapload of chocolate.

If I lived in Vermont, I would shop there. Especially if I was on a diet. I’d be all, “Husband, I think we need a new chair. I’m going to go look for one at Wendell’s.” Then we’d get there, and I’d be like, “Oh. . . What’s this? Chocolate? What a coincidence. Might as well have a little piece. It’s free.”

I made more art last year than probably any year of my life. I actually had a break through in October with my arts and crafts in that I overcame my fear of failure. I wrote more about that in my post about the lamp that made me realize I was capable of literally anything! Okay, that was a hyperbolic statement, and I may or may not have been high on prescription pain killers (after surgery) when I had that epiphany, but that doesn’t make it any less significant.

The $8 lamp that I bought specifically to spruce up, then stared at it for 3 years before working up the nerve to tackle it.

This year I decided to keep with the positive theme. Only this time, I’m taking the advice of Dr. Oz and making my resolutions more specific. He says that the more specific your resolutions are, the more likely you are to keep them.

The first is easy. I just colored my hair red, I got some new red shoes, and I’m on the search for the perfect red lipstick. I’ve never worn red lipstick before, so this is very exciting for me. I’m deciding between Mac Red, and Lime Crime Retrofuturist, in case you were wondering. I am open to suggestions on that one.

As for the screenplay, I’ve already got a solid start on two scripts. I just have to carve out the time to work on them, and conquer the voice in the back of my head telling me I can’t do it. Maybe I should keep the lamp nearby for inspiration. <wink>

I’ve already signed the three of us up for a local Memorial Day 5K race, and we are YMCA members, so we can use the childcare and train there. Jeff and Max are on board, and we are starting the Couch to 5K plan today, so #3 is in the bag. I mean, so long as the three of us don’t enable each other. Truth be told, we were supposed to start the running plan on Wednesday, but instead we stayed home, and. . . I made fried chicken and coleslaw. <blush> I’ll, um, keep you updated on that one.

Speaking of chocolate, I wanted to share another funny meme I came across. Scroll through. It’s worth it.

What are your resolutions for 2013? It’s not too late to make or change yours. Are you with me on the keeping it positive? If you made yours on January 1st, did you survive the 2 week trip-up? Please share in the comments.

I set my goals similar ways. I’m excited to hear how your goals go, especially the 5K!

I made the 5k goal also–I found that a specific goal like that helps me with the broader goal of “lose weight and work out more.” I’m thinking of adding the eat more chocolate resolution though.

]]>http://threeblindwives.com/2013/01/18/eat-more-chocolate/feed/4threeblindwivesI've read that most resolutions last about 2 weeks. This could also be called the January 14th menu. Now that's customer service!The $8 lamp that made me realize I was capable of literally anything! (That was hyperbole, but it really was a symbolic moment.)Replace "smoking pot" with "eating fried chicken" or "eating a bunch of chocolate," and. . . Guilty!chocolate-powerBlog SiggyDry Erase Board MANIAhttp://threeblindwives.com/2013/01/14/dry-erase-board-mania/
http://threeblindwives.com/2013/01/14/dry-erase-board-mania/#commentsMon, 14 Jan 2013 16:06:16 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=6735]]>Lara and Daniél will tell you that I usually have all my posts for the week up on Sunday and occasionally a week or two ahead of schedule. For the holidays, I finished all my posts in late November and didn’t need to blog at all during my busy season. And here we are on Monday morning and I’m typing my Monday post. And I’m pulling way back from a planned post from last spring for material. While my timing may be LAME, the post is about something I love. Dry erase boards.

But I have others that I have picked up on clearance sales over time. The best time to find them in the stores is during the kids-going-to-college time. August/September. By late September most of that stuff (and twin size bed sheets) go on clearance.

On my fridge, I have the above phone number one. Yes, my babysitter (Dennis) knows these numbers but it occurred to me, what if the emergency was with the babysitter? Or what if he wasn’t home but I was home with the kids and the emergency was with me? Parents’ cells, fire, police, a neighbor, and a grandmother (who is also a neighbor) are all listed.

Below is our weekly schedule. Why? Because my kids look at an entire calendar and their eyes glaze over. This gives them just what is coming up for the immediate week. Oh, and see the “60” written in the corner? That’s how much babysitting money I owe my babysitter. We should probably find a better method.

The next dry erase board is dry erase and cork board combo. When we redid our kitchen, we moved the fridge to where a desk was and added lower cabinets where the fridge had been but not upper ones. The results is that we have a usable wall in our kitchen and that’s where our dry erase menu goes. I’m not always good at updating it but I try, try, try because I’m sick, sick, sick of hearing “what’s for dinner?” at least once from every person in my family.

And my last one is totally superfluous. All my others are for communication purposes and this one is just fun. When our daffodils started blooming, I put a beautiful AA Milne quote up.

It hung in our entryway for months so quotes, notes, and drawings by kids were always being turned over. I needed this space for another wall hanging, specifically this. But looking at it makes me want to hang it back up. It was fun.

Leave your dry erase board sentiments in the comments!

I covet your giant dry erase board.

And I thought I had a thing for dry erase boards! We have a giant one, like 3′ x 4′ or something, and it’s one of the best things we’ve every purchased. The kids love it.

Over our TBW’s break, I started a new project. You know all those books I read? And all those cheap e-book deals I like to pass on? I have a super easy way to share these deals with everyone! E-Books on the Cheap was started by me and is maintained by me. I post 2-10 deals a day, depending on deal availability and my attention span.

Follow the link below and, if you have a FB page, you can “like” the page so the deals show up in your feed.

I love getting ebooks on the cheap, but I am way too lazy to look them up myself on any kind of regular basis. I love that you do it for me! You should start a blog with adsense or something, and get some compensation!

I’ve bought way too many of these deals already!

]]>http://threeblindwives.com/2013/01/10/were-back/feed/0charlieinkcCharlie's siggyBooks and Resolutionshttp://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/27/books-and-resolutions/
http://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/27/books-and-resolutions/#commentsThu, 27 Dec 2012 06:00:05 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=6421]]>The New Year is approaching. It gives such a feeling of a fresh start. A new year with new chances and new opportunities. It’s a time to shrug off the failures and the downs of the previous year and try for better things.

I’m not against making New Year’s Resolutions. I’m pretty pro-goal setting in whatever form it takes.

For 2012, I made a single New Year’s Resolution. I would read every single book for my book club in the month it was assigned even if I had already read it and even if I would happily return it to the library unread.

If I were in school, I would surely get some sort of certificate for this perfect reading record. Instead, I get internet bragging rights and the ability to review 12 very different books.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Of all the books I read, not only for book club but on my own, I think this is the one I’m most glad I’ve read. If you decide to read it, I want you to pay attention to Henrietta Lacks’s daughter and ponder her intelligence and resolve and realize that, if not for the book, her voice would have been silenced by generation poverty.

A non-fiction book, the author does a fantastic job explaining the science in an accessible way and removing herself from the story as much as possible. The story really is about Henrietta Lacks, her children, and ethics in medicine.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

I had already read this book so it was a re-read. I love Jasper Fforde. In fact, here is a picture of me and him (Lara’s husband took the picture and I cropped my husband out of it).

This book is funny as you would expect if you’ve read any of Fforde’s other books but it also has a dark side. It is a dystopian fiction placed in a time when people can only see one a single color. The hierarchy of the world is decided by the color people see.

The plot and the world are less complicated than the Thursday Next series. It might be my favorite of his books though I really loved The Woman Who Died A Lot as well.

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

It was extremely well written. The imagery makes me feel like I’ve been to Newfoundland. I feel cold just thinking about it. The story was poignant though moved slowly. I’ve since bought two more of Annie Proulx’s books at the used book store though I’ve yet to read them.

Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

I do not–correction: did not–read many books that took place outside of the western world. The reason I joined a book club was to push my reading boundaries and this is an example of how it has.

This book is such a beautiful book about friendship, appearances, customs, generations, families.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

By far my favorite book this year. Yes, The Immortal Life is the one I’m most happy I read this year but this is my favorite book. It took my heart, ripped it out, stepped all over it, and attempted to put it back into my chest. I could identify with the dilemmas even though they were foreign from anything I’ve ever experienced.

I have A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author on my shelf but I’m waiting until I have the emotional fortitude to make it through another book.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

This book is an entertaining read though I have rarely thought of it after having read it. It follows an interconnected group of people through their lives as they cross paths. To get an idea of how the book works, here’s a flow chart someone in book club printed for all of us.

Click to visit the blog of origin

I really enjoyed reading it but took very little long term thoughts from it.

The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs

The author, a writer and editor for Esquire magazine, decided to try to live the principles of the Bible for a year. Funny, amusing, and slightly irreverent, I enjoyed this book immensely. It’s one that I re-read for book club having read it before.

If I had to pick something I didn’t like, it isn’t terribly well written. Grammatically correct and easy to read, sure. But it has the feel of an Esquire magazine article and sustaining that voice through an entire book stretched my patience a bit.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Will I be banned from all romantic circles if I said I didn’t like this book? It’s a story of unrequited love and that’s just a waste of a good life. It is heavy handed with the magical realism, similar to a tall tale. I found the pacing awkward as well.

That said, I never once thought I wouldn’t finish the book. I liked the writing enough and the story line enough to keep going.

We watched the movie at book club and we were literally laughing out loud at parts… parts that weren’t meant to be funny.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

I listened to this as an audiobook–which I highly recommend as Tina Fey reads it–and then read the book for book club. I preferred the audiobook. I love her stories. I love her rules. I love her view of women in a male dominated field.

I made it January through September without once thinking I wouldn’t keep my resolution. This book nearly did me in though. I really thought this would be the deal breaker.

First, I don’t like supernatural tales. Second, no, that’s it. It’s a “ghost” story about an evil carnival and I don’t dig it. I have to say, however, you will never in your life read a more lyrical ghost story. The writing is the only thing I liked about this book.

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

Yes, two Bradbury books in consecutive months! I love this one though. I read it years and years ago so I reread it for book club. As one of our book club members said, it takes some balls to write a book without an overarching plot. This book is simply a story of things that happened over summer. It’s in the realm of a coming-of-age book but without the huge story arc and dramatic shift of the character.

But what I loved most about this book was the connection I felt to the words. I identified with the experiences to the point that I had an emotive reaction to simple sentences. While not as lyrical as Something Wicked This Way Comes, the writing was just as amazing.

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

Not only did I read this in 2012 the first time, I re-read it for book club. This is a short piece (a solid Sunday afternoon worth of reading) the uses the “we” voice to tell the story of mail-order Japanese brides pre-WWII leading up to the internment of the Japanese.

I couldn’t put it down. The distance the narrator keeps the reader at is fascinating. The “we” voice tells the group’s story yet you still feel drawn to the individual women.

So what will my resolution be for 2013? To keep my perfect book club reading record going for another 12 months.

Hey, I read 3 on your list this year! I’m not in book club, though, so I don’t have to be ashamed. I will join a book club one of these days.

I wasn’t as disciplined of a reader as you this year so it would be a good resolution for me to adopt this year as well.

click to see more images by the same photographer. Her birds caught mid-flight literally made me gasp.

There is something beautiful and poignant about a lone tree whether it’s out in a field or in our own windows.

But there is something mysterious and powerful about a forest. Shadows and hiding places beneath every step. Branches creaking and chimpmunks scurrying.

We have always had a single Christmas tree. Whether our first $14 Wal-Mart special Charlie Brown tree or our ridiculously huge floor-model crooked tree, we’ve always had one. Last year I was inspired to think smaller yet bigger. I purchased narrow trees for not a single tree but a Christmas forest.

The forest is as thick as this corner will allow with three trees but I believe there is more space for underbrush. While we haven’t decorated the trees much yet, everything that we place on the trees will be something with meaning and power.

Already we’ve found some mysterious inhabitants of our forest. First, young elves hanging out in the tree:

And then a creature surely intent on bringing doom and destruction upon our home. Possibly just the trees. And maybe the power cord.

With one tree or two trees or even no tree, I hope you have been having a wonderful holiday season building new traditions and continuing with the old.

The forest fits that corner perfectly!

I love it!

]]>http://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/24/6280/feed/0charlieinkclone treetreereunion4forest1forest3forest2Charlie's siggy5 Last Minute Budget-Friendly DIY Gift Ideashttp://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/21/5-last-minute-budget-friendly-diy-gift-ideas/
http://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/21/5-last-minute-budget-friendly-diy-gift-ideas/#commentsFri, 21 Dec 2012 11:38:54 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=6569]]>I thought it appropriate for me to write on this topic considering the fact that A) I procrastinated most of my gift list, and B) I waited until the last minute to write this post. Winning! I hope this helps inspire my fellow procrastinating cheap-skates. =)

Click the links to be taken to more pics and tutorials.

1. Tote Bags (made from scratch, repurposed, or simply decorated)

Remember when we did our Christmas in July? Charlie wrote a post with a variety of DIY gift ideas, including her t-shirt tote bag. Hers is one of the simpler, quicker versions of the t-shirt to tote bag projects, and could be done in no time. I plan on making one for my son out of one of his favorite shirts that no longer fits him. It says, “Hiya! Nice to meet you,” and has one guy karate chopping another. (Get it?)

Mr. Tickle library totes

I made some Mr. Tickle character totes out of felt for my kids earlier in the year that were a quick, cheap project. By using felt, you can skip finishing edges, and the straps are single pieces of fabric.

How cute are these painted totes from “For the Love of?” Click for tutorial.

Another option is to buy a plain canvas tote and paint it.

2. Ornaments

These bottle cap snowmen are easy and fun to make. I didn’t even look up a tutorial. I had seen pics, and just figured it out as I went along.

Do a search for “bottle cap ornaments,” and you’ll see a fun variety. I love the snowmen.

My upcycled playing card ornaments from Christmas in July.

We’ve done a few tutorials for ornaments on our blog. Charlie recently posted 3 ornaments she did for swaps.

How cute is Charlie’s Grinch ornament? Click for tutorial.

3. Photobooks/Calendars/Albums

How cute are those kids?

Lara shared some images from her Christmas Through the Years Photobook. I just love the idea of adding a new page every year. I think it would make a great gift for parents and grandparents especially.

4. Food

Who doesn’t like food, right? Bake, make an old fashioned berry jam, or do something unique like hot chocolate on a stick. I got a cookie platter once from a neighbor with a couple each of really interesting cookies. It was awesome.

5. Jewelry/Accessories

Last year, Lindsay made me the adorable hairpins which are just buttons glued to bobby pins. She also made me the paper clip earring, but you can’t see it well here.

Paperclip earrings

T-shirt bracelets

You can make some great jewelry and accessories for super cheap and with very little time. Bobby pins with buttons, t-shirt bracelets, and paperclip earrings can all be made with stuff that you probably already have around the house. They really do make great gifts, ’cause they are cute and totally wearable.

What are you making last minute? I’d love to see pics. Feel free to share in the comments.

]]>http://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/21/5-last-minute-budget-friendly-diy-gift-ideas/feed/3threeblindwivestshirtarmMr. Tickle library totesHow cute are these painted totes from "For the Love of?" Click for tutorial.These bottle cap snowmen are easy and fun to make. I didn't even look up a tutorial. I had seen pics, and just figured it out as I went along. Do a search for bottle cap ornaments, and you'll see a fun variety. IMAG0126How cute is Charlie's Grinch ornament? Click for tutorial.How cute are those kids?I haven't tried the hot chocolate on a stick, but it sounds divine. Last year, Lindsay made me the adorable hairpins which are just buttons glued to bobbi pins. She also made me the earring, but you can't see it well here. Paperclip earringsT-shirt braceletsBlog SiggyDIY No-Sew Baby Leg Warmershttp://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/16/diy-no-sew-baby-leg-warmers/
http://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/16/diy-no-sew-baby-leg-warmers/#commentsSun, 16 Dec 2012 06:00:09 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=6537]]>Baby Legs are so stinking cute, aren’t they? Whoever came up with the idea to make baby leg warmers was a freaking genius. Not only do they look awesome, but they are functional (the keep baby’s legs warm) and practical (you don’t have to remove them for diaper changes.) However, at $12+ a pair, they aren’t so economical. Well, at least not if you want a pair for every day of the week.

Here’s Leon at 5 weeks old wearing the Baby Legs Charlie got for him.

Now, I do still suggest buying some name brand leg warmers, especially as gifts, since they come in so many different colors and patterns, but what if I told you that you could make some for only $2.50-$5.00 a pair or less, PLUS have a new pair of ankle socks for yourself? I know.

I didn’t come up with this idea. I googled “DIY Baby Legs,” and saw lots of hits for taking women’s knee high socks and turning them into leg warmers. However, all of these blog posts had different tutorials on how to finish the bottom edge. Many of those had you cutting a piece off of the foot part of the sock so that you could no longer wear it as an anklet. I definitely didn’t want to do that.

When I cut my first pair (which btw, they were on sale on Target.com for only $1.50 a pair, so I bought a bunch to give as gifts), I put on my new ankle socks, and thought, “Do I really need to finish this at all? Sure, maybe it rolls a little, but it’s not going to unravel.” And I was right. I actually like the way the unfinished edge looks. So far, they’ve come out of the wash just fine.

You literally just take a pair of knee-high women’s socks, cut the bottom off, and you are finished. It’s so easy a 5 year old could do it. However, I don’t feel right leaving you without a tutorial, so here it is:

Coincidentally, a 5 year old made this tutorial.

And now, pictures:

Here’s Leon at 10 weeks in a pair I made for him.

And since I couldn’t decide which one to use, here’s another shot.

Here you can see how the leg warmers can be worn over his heels for extra warmth.

How cute do the baby toes look poking out of the leg warmers? I don’t know how he gets dirt under his nails. I blame it on the dogs.

As a bonus, after you cut the socks, you have a pair of baby leg warmers AND a nice new matching pair of ankle socks.

Charlie got him the snow man shirt (you can’t see the snow man, but it’s there), and the hat that just happens to match!

If you need me to elaborate on the one step, feel free to ask. ;-P

Have fun now, making baby leg warmers for every baby you know!

Those toes!!! There was no such thing as baby leg warmers when I had a baby. These are so cute I may need to start campaigning for a new baby.

I love baby legs–homemade and purchased!

]]>http://threeblindwives.com/2012/12/16/diy-no-sew-baby-leg-warmers/feed/5threeblindwivesHere's Leon at 5 weeks old wearing the Baby Legs Charlie got for him. Coincidentally, a 5 year old made this tutorial. baby legs 10 weeks 1And since I couldn't decide which one to use, here's another shot. Here you can see how the leg warmers can be worn over his heels for extra warmth. How cute do the baby toes look poking out of the leg warmers? As a bonus, after you cut the socks, you have a pair of baby leg warmers AND a nice new matching pair of anklets. Charlie got him the snow man shirt (you can't see the snow man, but it's there), and the hat that just happens to match!Blog SiggyAdvent Calendar GO TIMEhttp://threeblindwives.com/2012/11/05/advent-calendar-go-time/
http://threeblindwives.com/2012/11/05/advent-calendar-go-time/#commentsMon, 05 Nov 2012 06:00:00 +0000http://threeblindwives.com/?p=5994]]>If you want to make an advent calendar for this year, it’s time to get started. Fortunately for you, I made the cutest calendar ever.

Ok, the undertones of showcasing my new advent calendar with saws in the background was completely lost on me until this very moment. I do not have the makings of a photographer. Wow. I would go try to catch a less serial-killeresque shot but the woodshop is all.the.way.in.the.basement. and the office/guest room that I am currently in is all.the.way.upstairs. Two flights of stairs only to have to take down my saws, take a picture, and then put my saws back in place?

Not going to happen.

The basic supplies are clothespins and small bags. Mine are muslin that I snagged on amazon fairly inexpensively but these would be super easy to make using felt. Or you could buy really small stockings, santa hats, mittens, etc. As long as it can hold some candy, you’re golden.

I stained my clothespins to give them a little more polished look. At first, I tried to rag on the stain on the individual clothespin. That lasted for a quarter of a pin. Then I started dipping them straight into the stain. I would dip a few (one at a time) and then go back and wipe the extra stain off. You need to wipe them well or they will end up sticky when the finish is dry.

How many clothespins did I drop into the finish, only to have to wait to see if they floated back up before fishing them out? Only one. ::pat on back::

You don’t have to stain these at all. Or you could use a tinted stain to give them less polish and more color. Or you can use magic markers to color them. I helped a friend do that and they turned out cute.

While these were drying, I had a stack of rags with stain on them. Good thing I had some other things to stain.

Mystery! What in the world am I doing with badly stained scrabble tiles? Stay tuned!

Then it was time to get to work on my bags. I originally planned on hand stamping them. Big problem. I don’t own any winter/holiday stamps and my number stamps are all little kid stamps. I only had about $8 left in the budget for this project so I bought some paper cut outs, fabric paint, and fabric glue and got to work.

I slipped a piece of cardboard into each bag to keep the paint and glue from bleeding to the back. Scrapbook paper works well in these situations as well. Just remember to reposition the cardboard after the paint and glue have a chance to get tacky. Otherwise the cardboard will become a permanent part of your advent calendar.

Now, what to put in the calendar. Some people put candy. Some people put a piece of paper with a scripture or quote on it. Some people put activities like “go look at lights” or “go see Santa.” My friend (who gave me the idea for this project) is putting small candies in for her girls to take out and then they will write something they’re grateful for to put back in. They can see their gratitude memories every holiday season over the years.

For me, I’m putting in candy (duh) and some of them will have activities or ideas. So far I have:

go see Christmas lights

a $20 bill with instructions to go buy something for a toy drive

make a gingerbread house

bake cookies for the neighbors

drink hot cocoa and watch Elf

make ornaments for aunts and uncles

write New Years Resolutions/goals

What other ideas would you put in an advent calendar? Do you have a cool and crafty calendar? Share in the comments!

This is great! I’ve been wanting to make an advent calendar for so long. Every year I say I’m going to. Maybe this year I actually will. I have a bunch of different styles pinned. I like the one that’s individual metal tins, the kind with the screw off caps. You glue magnets to the back, and can put them on the fridge.

Love this! I haven’t done an advent calendar but we’ve done the countdown to Christmas paper chain and some popular ideas were: read a Christmas story book, make a Christmas treat, camp out in the living room with all the lights off except the tree, and play Christmas music really loud and dance to it. Sigh, now I’m getting all nostalgic again.